By Seun Opejobi
Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has revealed that he collected the sum of N100 million from the ex-Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Tony Anenih, but that there was no way he could have known that the money was from the funds meant for the procurement of arms for the military fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the north east.
The former SGF and some governors in the South East reportedly got N100 million each from the N260 million given to Anenih by the office of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
But speaking with New Telegraph on Thursday, Falae said the money was purely an interparty affair between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, which he is the National Chairman.
According to Falae, the money was given to the SDP to campaign for the PDP in the 2015 presidential election, adding that both parties prior to the 2015 general elections entered into working agreement.
He said, “In the build up to the presidential election, the PDP approached the SDP which I chaired. The then ruling party solicited for our support in order for President Goodluck Jonathan to win the March 28 presidential election.
“Anenih related with me as the chairman of the PDP BoT and I did same as the SDP National Chairman. He wrote to me as PDP BoT chairman and I wrote back as SDP National Chairman stating conditions/terms for the alliance.
“It is true that N100 million was given to my party to endorse and work for the Jonathan’s candidature in the 2015 election. We used the money for that purpose and we effectively campaigned for the PDP since we did not have presidential candidate in the election. The money was not for me.
“Thank God I’m a retired civil servant. I have all the documents to prove all that transpired between the two parties.”
Stating that he was not aware of the the source of the fun, he said, “With all the money PDP has and having spent 16 years in power, how would I know that the money was from the arms deal? No reference was made to the arms deal. So, they should not bring me into the arms issue. The relationship was purely interparty affairs.”
Anenih, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu had mentioned that Falae and some former governors were given N100 million each in the build up to the 2015 presidential election.
The report further stated that the former BoT of PDP gave another group from Katsina State N35 million, while second republic Presidential Adviser on National Assembly, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, got N63 million.
In the letter to the EFCC Chairman, Anenih had stated that the money was transferred to him on the instruction of former President, Goodluck Jonathan for specific assignments.
Anenih who stated that the beneficiaries acknowledged receiving the money, stressed that he spent over N441 million far above the N260 million he got from the former NSA.